Effect of Abdominal Electrical Muscle Stimulation Training With and Without Superimposed Voluntary Muscular Contraction on Lumbopelvic Control

Abstract

Context: Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) was designed for artificial muscle activation or superimposed training.

Objectives: To compare the effects of 8 weeks of superimposed technique (ST; application of electrical stimulation during a voluntary muscle action) and EMS on the cross-sectional area of the rectus abdominis, lateral abdominal wall, and on lumbopelvic control.

Setting: University research laboratory.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Participants: Fifty healthy subjects were recruited and randomly assigned to either the ST or EMS group.

Intervention: The participants engaged with the electrical stimulation techniques (ST or EMS) for 8 weeks.

Main outcome measures: In all participants, the cross-sectional area of the rectus abdominis and lateral abdominal wall was measured by magnetic resonance imaging and lumbopelvic control, quantified using the single-leg and double-leg lowering tests.

Results: There were no significant differences in the cross-sectional area of the rectus abdominis (right: P = .70, left: P = .99) or lateral abdominal wall (right: P = .07, left: P = .69) between groups. There was a significant difference between groups in the double-leg lowering test (P = .03), but not in the single-leg lowering test (P = .88). There were significant differences between the preintervention and postintervention in the single-leg (P < .001) and double-leg lowering tests (P < .001).

Conclusions: ST could improve lumbopelvic control in the context of athletic training and fitness.

Keywords: cross-sectional area; electrical stimulation; magnetic resonance imaging.